|
I'm really getting frestrated by this trick. Create an account, fill in a
form, and then.. asks for a credit card.
I know I don't get anything for free, but this is a blatent lie. A credit
card is a form of payment. I don't care if you charge it immidiately or
not.
Where can I go to get more information about this? I was thinking the
Better Business Burea but it's not related to one company. and fcc.org just
has too much stuff.
Thanks,
Mike
|
| |
| |
Mike,
If it's free then there should not be any payment but asking for credit
card info only does not imply that the trial is not free. It does ensure
that the billing information is available at the end of the "free" period
should you fail to cancel your subscription or whatever you are trying. Your
State probably has a consumer fraud web-site which will guide you through
filing a complaint but it's impossible based on your post to tell if your
complaint is legitimate.
Good luck,
Dave M.
|
| |
| |
Mike Austin wrote:
I'm really getting frestrated by this trick. Create an account, fill in a
form, and then.. asks for a credit card.
I know I don't get anything for free, but this is a blatent lie. A credit
card is a form of payment. I don't care if you charge it immidiately or
not.
Actually, that could be legitimate. If the service in question
allows you to purchase additional services, even during the
"free trial" period, then there is a perfectly good reason
to ask for a credit card.
|
| |
| |
Mike Austin wrote:
I'm really getting frestrated by this trick. Create an account, fill in
a form, and then.. asks for a credit card.
I know I don't get anything for free, but this is a blatent lie. A
credit card is a form of payment. I don't care if you charge it
immidiately or not.
Where can I go to get more information about this? I was thinking the
Better Business Burea but it's not related to one company. and fcc.org
just has too much stuff.
Thanks,
Mike
This is a practice usually asocciated with "adult content" websites.
This is a means to verify your age.
Only problem with that is, 15 year old Mikey knows all the ways of using mom
or dad's credit cards online.
So how would the website know how old Mikey really is?
As far as they are concerned, it's mom or dad online.
If you feel that there is some sort of fraud involved, perhaps you should
talk to the United States Secret Service.
As part of the Deprtmnt of Treasury, it is their responsibility to
investigate all abuses of money including credit card fraud.
This was brought out in a tv show hosted by Steve Ford. Son of President
Gerald Ford.
|
| |
| |
Mike Austin wrote:
Actually, that could be legitimate. If the service in question
allows you to purchase additional services, even during the
"free trial" period, then there is a perfectly good reason
to ask for a credit card.
Yes, it is legitimate. They are not actually charging until your trial has
expired. But it feels like false advertizing, and wastes people's time.
Giving out a credit card # is not something you should do often. I don't
even like ISPs keeping a record of CC #s.
At the minimum, it should be astericked (*) Credit Card Required. How do I
lobby that? As I'm getting older I'm getting more involved in government
and want to be heard. I'm in California btw.
Thanks for your time,
Mike
|
| |
| |
Mike Austin wrote:
Yes, it is legitimate. They are not actually charging until your trial has
expired.
What I'm saying is that it could be legitimate to ask for a credit
card number, if the service allows you to use (and pay for) additional
services which aren't free, even if they don't automatically charge
the credit card for a subscription after the end of the free
trial period. (I feel that that automatic charge MIGHT be a
misleading item in the "contract".)
As for a technological solution to your problem. Many cards or
card providers allow you to create one-time-use credit card numbers
carved out of your regular limit, or restricted credit card numbers
with a small dollar limit ($1?), which would prevent the automatic
charge.
|
| |
| |
As for a technological solution to your problem. Many cards or
card providers allow you to create one-time-use credit card numbers
carved out of your regular limit, or restricted credit card numbers
with a small dollar limit ($1?), which would prevent the automatic
charge.
Many cards or card providers allow you to create "one-time-use" credit
card numbers which are NOT restricted to one time use nor to a small
dollar limit. Read the fine print, not the marketing brochures.
Gordon L. Burditt
|
| |
| |
Gordon Burditt wrote:
Many cards or card providers allow you to create "one-time-use" credit
card numbers which are NOT restricted to one time use nor to a small
dollar limit. Read the fine print, not the marketing brochures.
Hmmm. I think you're wrong. Furthermore, in the event you're
not wrong, it would be false advertising on the part of the
credit card companies.
|
| |
| |
As for a technological solution to your problem. Many cards or
card providers allow you to create one-time-use credit card numbers
carved out of your regular limit, or restricted credit card numbers
with a small dollar limit ($1?), which would prevent the automatic
charge.
Many cards or card providers allow you to create "one-time-use" credit
card numbers which are NOT restricted to one time use nor to a small
dollar limit. Read the fine print, not the marketing brochures.
Hmmm. I think you're wrong. Furthermore, in the event you're
not wrong, it would be false advertising on the part of the
credit card companies.
For the most part, ADVERTISING is false advertising on the part of
the advertiser. Especially if the fine print isn't included in the
ad.
The bank would claim it's not false advertising because they disclaim
everything in the fine print. Look at the fine print sometime for
what they actually agree to do in exchange for stopping payment on
a check.
The problem with "one-time-use" credit card numbers being dinged
multiple times for over the limit (in total) has been described
many times in misc.consumers. Often it's the same merchant dinging
the card again because of something they "forgot", like shipping,
but which took the total over the limit.
Gordon L. Burditt
|
| |
| |
Gordon Burditt wrote:
The problem with "one-time-use" credit card numbers being dinged
multiple times for over the limit (in total) has been described
many times in misc.consumers. Often it's the same merchant dinging
the card again because of something they "forgot", like shipping,
but which took the total over the limit.
The credit card company COULD reject the charge. (I agree they're
probably not required to, as noted in the fine print, but they COULD.)
They probably are required to waive any over-limit fee for a charge
they were supposed to have rejected, though.
|
| |
| |
|
